Chase Elliott gears up for 2025 Daytona 500 by dropping a picture dump on his IG

Chase Elliott, the Hendrick Motorsports driver, posted a photo dump on Instagram on Friday to encapsulate the time he has spent at the Daytona 500.

Chase Elliott, a NASCAR Cup Series champion and prominent driver for Hendrick Motorsports, has achieved considerable success in his career, including 18 race wins since his full-time debut in 2016. However, one significant accomplishment has eluded him - a victory in the prestigious Daytona 500. Despite starting the race in the pole position twice (2016 and 2017) and coming close in 2021 with a second-place finish, Elliott has yet to secure a win in "The Great American Race."

On Instagram, the winner of the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray, the 29-year-old reminisced about the time he competed in the Daytona 500 over his time. He captioned:

"9️⃣ days ‘til Daytona 😏 You ready?"

As he entered the 2024 NASCAR season, Chase Elliott had set his sights on finally conquering the Daytona 500. Beyond personal achievement, his motivation was deeply rooted in his relationship with crew chief Alan Gustafson, who is from the Daytona area and has never won the race. Via Speedway Digest he said:

"It would be awesome to check that box. We've had a couple of opportunities but my biggest reason for really wanting to win the Daytona 500 is because Alan (Gustafson) has never won it."

"He's from down there (Ormond Beach) and I know it's a big deal to him. I just think it would be a really cool thing for him. Being a hometown guy like that, he's come so close, so many times. When you work with a guy like that who has had a lot of success, it is kind of rare to be able to help him achieve something he has not already achieved. That would be a big one."

Elliott expressed his desire to help Gustafson achieve this milestone, acknowledging the rarity of being able to assist someone so accomplished in reaching an unfulfilled goal. The 2024 Daytona 500 was scheduled for February 18, with qualifying rounds preceding it on February 15.

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Chase Elliott's 2025 Daytona 500 odds

Chase Elliott heads into the 2025 Daytona 500 with momentum after winning the Cookout Clash. He's seeking his first Daytona 500 victory, which would place him and his father, Bill, among the few father-son duos to win the event. Currently, Elliott has the eighth-best betting odds at +1700, but these odds are expected to shift based on qualifying and Daytona Duels performances.

Throughout his career, Elliott has shown potential at Daytona, notably leading in 2017 and finishing second in 2021. He's also a proven superspeedway racer with wins at Talladega and Atlanta. However, his Daytona 500 record in the Next Gen era has been less impressive, with only one top-10 finish. Despite decent finishes overall, he hasn't consistently been a threat to win, except in 2017 and 2021 before the Next Gen car.

The 2020 champion has 19 career Cup Series wins, all with Hendrick Motorsports, and is coming off a strong 2024 season where he reached the Round of 8. While a Daytona 500 win has eluded him, Elliott's past success and recent momentum make him a driver to watch in the 2025 race.